Couple of interesting articles first thing this morning.
The first is the claim by Peter Hain that his party's canvassing returns shows that the Conservatives will win six seats from Labour on Thursday. Would be interested to know if the Labour Party is happy to make details of this polling public?
The second is the comment in the Western Mail on good weather where I have been slightly misquoted by Martin Shipton!
I actually said that it is possible that an increased turnout will benefit us as any additional turnout will mean more Conservatives, who were ambivalent and didn't vote at the last Assembly election, will vote this time.
Anyway, there is no truth whatsoever in the rumours that Plaid Cymru supporters have been spotted dancing in the fields around Llanrwst early this morning!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Polls and poles
Great article in the New Statesman on John Marek's bid to keep his Wrexham seat. John seems to have been very relaxed about the camapign to date and perhaps this explains why.
Talking of polls instead of poles, there has been an interesting reaction by various commentators to the 'polls' published this week.
Having knocked on thousands of doors during the last few weeks, we have one of the most accurate surveys of what is going on in this constituency, which I would love to share with you but am under pain of death if I did. All I can say is that it does not reflect the national picture.
Indeed, in a close three way tie and in a diverse constituency, that would expected, especially as the polls conducted would only have asked around 25 people in Aberconwy for those views. Now if those 25 people had been in Penrhyn bay, we would have 60% of the vote, if they has been in Llandudno Junction, Labour would have 60% of the vote and if they had been in Llanrwst, Plaid Cymru would have 60% of the vote. I think you get the picture!
The only poll that matters is on May 3rd and I am really looking forward to it (and some sleep after!)
Talking of polls instead of poles, there has been an interesting reaction by various commentators to the 'polls' published this week.
Having knocked on thousands of doors during the last few weeks, we have one of the most accurate surveys of what is going on in this constituency, which I would love to share with you but am under pain of death if I did. All I can say is that it does not reflect the national picture.
Indeed, in a close three way tie and in a diverse constituency, that would expected, especially as the polls conducted would only have asked around 25 people in Aberconwy for those views. Now if those 25 people had been in Penrhyn bay, we would have 60% of the vote, if they has been in Llandudno Junction, Labour would have 60% of the vote and if they had been in Llanrwst, Plaid Cymru would have 60% of the vote. I think you get the picture!
The only poll that matters is on May 3rd and I am really looking forward to it (and some sleep after!)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
New Labour Spin - what they say
I'm not a GMTV fan - I can never seem to win any of their competitions - but they had Ben Bradshaw the Minister for the environment on the box talking about recycling this morning, which is a big issue on the doorstep in Aberconwy, especially the abolition of weekly refuse collections.
When asked why his government are encouraging local authorities to undertake fortnightly collections of rubbish
"I am really glad the debate is taking place but let's get the terminology right first. It's not about fortnightly collections, it's about alternate weekly collections."
and New Labour hasn't worked out yet why people are leaving them in droves!
When asked why his government are encouraging local authorities to undertake fortnightly collections of rubbish
"I am really glad the debate is taking place but let's get the terminology right first. It's not about fortnightly collections, it's about alternate weekly collections."
and New Labour hasn't worked out yet why people are leaving them in droves!
Labour's world of lunacy in the NHS #1
NHS Problem - 74,000 former patients in Wales have lost access to NHS dentistry since the recent dentistry reforms were implemented by Labour.
Labour solution - Newly-qualified dentists unable to find Wales job
Labour solution - Newly-qualified dentists unable to find Wales job
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
The London Press finally finds Wales!
Leading comment by The Times on the Assembly elections, which is a fascinating insight on how the media on the other side of the border view us and our political parties!
Plaid's Economic Red Herring
Has my final business hustings last night, this time organised by the professions group of organisations such as the ACCA, ICAEW and CIM.
Also probably the last time I will see Dafydd Wigley before the Aberconwy results on May 4th, which will have a bearing on both our lives I am sure.
Interesting that no-one decided to discuss the corporation tax issue, which has been at the centre of Plaid's business policies. Indeed, there has been almost no scrutiny of this by political commentators and yet it forms the core of the opposition party's economic policies.
This entire policy is a red herring which is excellent in principle and completely unworkable, for now, in practice.
This is not to say I don't agree with the concept of specific tax cuts in Wales - I am a Conservative after all. Indeed, I raised this issue over two years ago and have already blogged on this subject in February. As I said in a speech to the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce last year
"I believe the time has now come to have an honest debate to thoroughly re-examine the whole issue of the additional powers that can create competitive advantage for Welsh businesses, as opposed to grants that do little to support long term investment. Many would argue that Wales is not mature enough at this stage in the devolution process to consider a radical move in terms of tax-varying powers and their ability to transform our economy. This is no excuse for not having a wider and deeper debate on the effect of further powers on the competitiveness of the Welsh economy".
However, what is disingenuous about this specific policy from Plaid is that it is largely acknowledged that such a policy will be completely unachievable under the next term of the Assembly Government, thanks to the half-baked devolutional arrangements developed by Labour.
The European Commission has made it absolutely clear that only those regions with existing tax varying powers could cut corporation tax. This means that if Wales wants such powers, then we will have to have a full parliament like Scotland after 2011. Indeed, an interesting article from Northern Ireland has made the same case and has shown that within a short period of time, this policy would have a positive fiscal benefit on the region and certainly help to address some of the wider economic disparities within the UK.
Therefore, Plaid's main economic policy is completely unworkable under current devolution arrangements and would not be implemented within the third term of an Assembly.
This is not to say that all parties should not sit down during the next four years and work towards a specific tax reducing policy for the fourth Assembly in 2011 and, more importantly, get the business sector on board for such a policy. I would certainly strongly support such a move if elected as, I am sure, would Dafydd Wigley.
Also probably the last time I will see Dafydd Wigley before the Aberconwy results on May 4th, which will have a bearing on both our lives I am sure.
Interesting that no-one decided to discuss the corporation tax issue, which has been at the centre of Plaid's business policies. Indeed, there has been almost no scrutiny of this by political commentators and yet it forms the core of the opposition party's economic policies.
This entire policy is a red herring which is excellent in principle and completely unworkable, for now, in practice.
This is not to say I don't agree with the concept of specific tax cuts in Wales - I am a Conservative after all. Indeed, I raised this issue over two years ago and have already blogged on this subject in February. As I said in a speech to the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce last year
"I believe the time has now come to have an honest debate to thoroughly re-examine the whole issue of the additional powers that can create competitive advantage for Welsh businesses, as opposed to grants that do little to support long term investment. Many would argue that Wales is not mature enough at this stage in the devolution process to consider a radical move in terms of tax-varying powers and their ability to transform our economy. This is no excuse for not having a wider and deeper debate on the effect of further powers on the competitiveness of the Welsh economy".
However, what is disingenuous about this specific policy from Plaid is that it is largely acknowledged that such a policy will be completely unachievable under the next term of the Assembly Government, thanks to the half-baked devolutional arrangements developed by Labour.
The European Commission has made it absolutely clear that only those regions with existing tax varying powers could cut corporation tax. This means that if Wales wants such powers, then we will have to have a full parliament like Scotland after 2011. Indeed, an interesting article from Northern Ireland has made the same case and has shown that within a short period of time, this policy would have a positive fiscal benefit on the region and certainly help to address some of the wider economic disparities within the UK.
Therefore, Plaid's main economic policy is completely unworkable under current devolution arrangements and would not be implemented within the third term of an Assembly.
This is not to say that all parties should not sit down during the next four years and work towards a specific tax reducing policy for the fourth Assembly in 2011 and, more importantly, get the business sector on board for such a policy. I would certainly strongly support such a move if elected as, I am sure, would Dafydd Wigley.
Unholy Alliance?
This story looks set to run and run.
See Vaughan Roderick's excellent blog for the best details.
However, members of both Plaid Cymru and Labour should not be too shocked as there have been whispers of an electroal arrangement between the two parties for the last few months.
Indeed, Dafydd Wigley himself "floated the idea of a Plaid-Labour coalition ruling Wales after next year's National Assembly election" in the Western Mail last year.
As a Conservative, I wish I had thought of this strategy but clearly Labour managed to do it for us!
Could this be the defining moment of the campaign - let's wait and see....
See Vaughan Roderick's excellent blog for the best details.
However, members of both Plaid Cymru and Labour should not be too shocked as there have been whispers of an electroal arrangement between the two parties for the last few months.
Indeed, Dafydd Wigley himself "floated the idea of a Plaid-Labour coalition ruling Wales after next year's National Assembly election" in the Western Mail last year.
As a Conservative, I wish I had thought of this strategy but clearly Labour managed to do it for us!
Could this be the defining moment of the campaign - let's wait and see....
Monday, April 23, 2007
A marriage of convenience?
Following Ieuan Wyn Jones' comments yesterday that his party are happy to work with Labour, it seems that now Labour are so desperate to cling to power that they are considering working with Plaid Cymru, possibly in coalition.
It doesn't matter how you dress this up - coalition, political arrangement - I cannot understand for the life of me how Plaid Cymru can even consider doing any deals with this discredited labour Government, regardless of their potential new members' distaste for the Conservatives.
This is not like the budget deal last December -that was about adjustments to a programme already agreed by the current Government. This about having a historic non-Labour Government in Wales for the first time and having the opportunity to make a real difference.
Does Plaid really want to see Rhodri at the helm again; does Plaid really want to support Andrew Davies - a man who won't even have any Welsh on his election addresses; does Plaid want to support Brian Gibbons, the architect of hospital cuts across Wales?
They say that a week is a long time in politics - given the complete distaste that the electorate on the doorstep have for Tony Blair and his cronies, this could be the defining moment in this particular campaign.
It doesn't matter how you dress this up - coalition, political arrangement - I cannot understand for the life of me how Plaid Cymru can even consider doing any deals with this discredited labour Government, regardless of their potential new members' distaste for the Conservatives.
This is not like the budget deal last December -that was about adjustments to a programme already agreed by the current Government. This about having a historic non-Labour Government in Wales for the first time and having the opportunity to make a real difference.
Does Plaid really want to see Rhodri at the helm again; does Plaid really want to support Andrew Davies - a man who won't even have any Welsh on his election addresses; does Plaid want to support Brian Gibbons, the architect of hospital cuts across Wales?
They say that a week is a long time in politics - given the complete distaste that the electorate on the doorstep have for Tony Blair and his cronies, this could be the defining moment in this particular campaign.
The unacceptable face of blogging
For the first time ever, I have had to delete a comment from an anonymous blogger who decided it would be clever to have a go at my wife and kids. As you are obviously a parent at my children's local school, let's just hope you have the guts to come and repeat these comments to me when you next see me take my kids to school.
I am happy to take any crap from anyone - that is why I have a political blog. Also, after four years of writing a column for the Western mail and the Daily Post, I accept that my comments are there to be shot down.
I have enjoyed the blog banter I have had with people from different political backgrounds over the last few days but it is clearly unacceptable for individuals to think they can comment on my family just because I am standing for public office.
I will therefore be restricting this blog from now on to those genuine bloggers who are happy to sign in to discuss anything posted rather than the cowardly little shits who hide behind anonymous mails.
I wonder what other genuine bloggers think of this?
I am happy to take any crap from anyone - that is why I have a political blog. Also, after four years of writing a column for the Western mail and the Daily Post, I accept that my comments are there to be shot down.
I have enjoyed the blog banter I have had with people from different political backgrounds over the last few days but it is clearly unacceptable for individuals to think they can comment on my family just because I am standing for public office.
I will therefore be restricting this blog from now on to those genuine bloggers who are happy to sign in to discuss anything posted rather than the cowardly little shits who hide behind anonymous mails.
I wonder what other genuine bloggers think of this?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Plaid's reality check on affordable housing
I am surprised that no-one has been examining Plaid's "£5000 for first time buyers policy" in more depth as it seems their only policy towards the challenge of affordable homes.
Yes, I have discussed the lack of any reality check of this policy when it comes to the actual housing situation in Wales but what about the actual practice that would be pursued by an incoming Plaid Government.
I am proud to be a Llo Llyn - the son of a daughter of Pwllheli and a son of Rhoshirwaun. I have been lucky in that I have been able to buy a house early in my career. However, many in Pwllheli and the Llyn Peninsula have not, and in an area where living on the average wage won't get you mortgage on a beach shed in Abersoch, the promise of £5000 towards a deposit is hardly going to help, especially when it is being eroded by house inflation.
We need affordable housing for young people, and one solution is to allow them to self-build on land that is owned by the local council and which can therefore control the freehold and ownership of the property over the long term.
Rather than giving planning permission for large numbers of houses to be built on copycat developments - as local councils have done across Wales - we need to have a sensible discussion on how we can revitalise our towns and villages through a careful assessment of their future needs.
Without these young people living in the area, local schools are under threat, community life declines and the welsh language will slowly disappear.
Would you prefer to have a 100 house development on one site or 10 houses in 10 villages across the county which are geared towards the needs of local people?
How often do we see any large scale developments actually turned down by planning authorities?
Why do local authorities allow construction firms to buy up every inch of land for their own purposes without any due consideration of local housing needs?
As the Welsh Conservatives have stated in the manifesto, we need actually need a reality check over planning regulations and some innovative thinking. There are many questions to be answered here and I would wish to see the Assembly establish a commission into this issue immediately after May 3rd to examine how law making powers can help us address what is one of the major social and economic issues facing our nation over the next decade.
The greatest shame to many people in areas such as the Llyn Peninsula is what a Plaid Cymru led political administration has done when faced with such a situation. In my home county of Gwynedd, the Plaid Cymru Council has stuck to outmoded planning regulations when they could and should have taken the lead over this type of policy for the whole of Wales.
Never mind the fuss over the marina in Pwllheli (which contained no housing proposals), the real threat to the language is the fact that the council's current approach to planning in areas such as the Llyn Peninsula is strangling, at birth, any opportunity for young people to get on the housing ladder. Allowing executive housing in Caernarfon will hardly help this situation, especially when they allegedly sold a major development site for only £1 (and I frankly don't blame the developers for getting the best deal for themselves).
That is a disappointment to many local people, especially when the best that the Party of Wales could come up with is a cash sum that does almost nothing to address the real situation in y Fro Gymraeg and certainly will not help address the lack of affordable housing in the area.
To paraphrase Neil Kinnock (of all people), I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions. They are then pickled into a rigid dogma, a code, and you go through the years sticking to that, outdated, misplaced, irrelevant to the real needs, and you end in the grotesque chaos of a Plaid Cymru council, yes a Plaid Cymru council, giving planning permission to build £750,000 penthouses whilst refusing young people across the Llyn Peninsula the right to build their own houses on land owned by their family and in the villages they were brought up.
Say no more.
Yes, I have discussed the lack of any reality check of this policy when it comes to the actual housing situation in Wales but what about the actual practice that would be pursued by an incoming Plaid Government.
I am proud to be a Llo Llyn - the son of a daughter of Pwllheli and a son of Rhoshirwaun. I have been lucky in that I have been able to buy a house early in my career. However, many in Pwllheli and the Llyn Peninsula have not, and in an area where living on the average wage won't get you mortgage on a beach shed in Abersoch, the promise of £5000 towards a deposit is hardly going to help, especially when it is being eroded by house inflation.
We need affordable housing for young people, and one solution is to allow them to self-build on land that is owned by the local council and which can therefore control the freehold and ownership of the property over the long term.
Rather than giving planning permission for large numbers of houses to be built on copycat developments - as local councils have done across Wales - we need to have a sensible discussion on how we can revitalise our towns and villages through a careful assessment of their future needs.
Without these young people living in the area, local schools are under threat, community life declines and the welsh language will slowly disappear.
Would you prefer to have a 100 house development on one site or 10 houses in 10 villages across the county which are geared towards the needs of local people?
How often do we see any large scale developments actually turned down by planning authorities?
Why do local authorities allow construction firms to buy up every inch of land for their own purposes without any due consideration of local housing needs?
As the Welsh Conservatives have stated in the manifesto, we need actually need a reality check over planning regulations and some innovative thinking. There are many questions to be answered here and I would wish to see the Assembly establish a commission into this issue immediately after May 3rd to examine how law making powers can help us address what is one of the major social and economic issues facing our nation over the next decade.
The greatest shame to many people in areas such as the Llyn Peninsula is what a Plaid Cymru led political administration has done when faced with such a situation. In my home county of Gwynedd, the Plaid Cymru Council has stuck to outmoded planning regulations when they could and should have taken the lead over this type of policy for the whole of Wales.
Never mind the fuss over the marina in Pwllheli (which contained no housing proposals), the real threat to the language is the fact that the council's current approach to planning in areas such as the Llyn Peninsula is strangling, at birth, any opportunity for young people to get on the housing ladder. Allowing executive housing in Caernarfon will hardly help this situation, especially when they allegedly sold a major development site for only £1 (and I frankly don't blame the developers for getting the best deal for themselves).
That is a disappointment to many local people, especially when the best that the Party of Wales could come up with is a cash sum that does almost nothing to address the real situation in y Fro Gymraeg and certainly will not help address the lack of affordable housing in the area.
To paraphrase Neil Kinnock (of all people), I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions. They are then pickled into a rigid dogma, a code, and you go through the years sticking to that, outdated, misplaced, irrelevant to the real needs, and you end in the grotesque chaos of a Plaid Cymru council, yes a Plaid Cymru council, giving planning permission to build £750,000 penthouses whilst refusing young people across the Llyn Peninsula the right to build their own houses on land owned by their family and in the villages they were brought up.
Say no more.
Back from Iraq
Just received some great news.
My first cousin Paul is coming back from Iraq, hopefully for the final time.
He is enormously relieved and I'm looking forward to a few beers with him later in May.
It takes events like this to puts politics into real perspective.
My first cousin Paul is coming back from Iraq, hopefully for the final time.
He is enormously relieved and I'm looking forward to a few beers with him later in May.
It takes events like this to puts politics into real perspective.
Deg diwrnod i fynd....
Deg diwrnod i fynd ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud fy mhod wedi blino'n gorfforol ond wedi mwynhau pob munud (i fyny i rwan!).
Mae yna lot o waith yr wythnos yma wrth gwrs, ac ar ben y canfasio i gyd, y mae un o 'top stars' y Ceidwadwyr wedi penderfynu dod draw yn ganol yr wythnos i drafod polisiau gyda pobol busnes yr ardal.
Mae hyn i gyd yn 'top secret' ar y funud - dwi ddim yn gwybod pa bryd ac ym mhle tan yfory - ond mi fydd yn gyfle i cael trafodaeth diddorol am ei weledigaeth i'r wlad ar ol yr etholaeth gyffredinol nesaf.
Mi roedd eistedd o flaen gynulleidfa Pawb a'i Farn nos Iau am y tro cyntaf braidd yn scary, ond roedd Dewi Llwyd yn ffantastic gyda pawb. Dwi wedi gweld yr usual 'hate mail' gan rhai o bloggers Plaid am fy mherfformiad. So what, mae pobol Pwllheli wedi bod yn llongyfarch mam ar y stryd fawr ac os ydi hi yn hapus, pwy sydd yn poeni!?!
Wrth gwrs, roedd Wigley wedi arfer hefo'r fformat, ond mi gefais sioc ar be ddywedodd Jonathan Austin am y Blaid Lafur i.e. wedi gwneud penderfyniad i beidio mynd i glymblaid hefo unrhyw Blaid. Mae'n siwr roedd Rhodri Morgan (a Mike German) wedi cael cathod am hyn. Wyrach mai 'nerves' oedd wedi hitio Jonathan ar y noson oherwydd y bore wedyn, mi roedd y blaid Lafur yn gorfod rhoi neges allan fod camgymeriad oedd hyn i gyd!
Mae'n rhaid fod yn ofalus iawn ar rhaglen wleidydddol fyw!
Y piti mwyaf oedd peidio cael y cyfle i siarad am ddyfodol yr Iaith Gymraeg, yn arbennig pwysigrwydd tai fforddiadwy mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Yn anffodus, dewiswyd cwestiwn am y maes awyr yn Sir Fon gan y gynulleidfa yn lle un ar yr iaith.
Fuase hyn wedi bod yn gyfle gwych i son am bolisiau Cyngor Gwynedd. Pwy fuasa wedi credu fuasa cynghorwyr Plaid Cymru yn hollol barod i rhoi caniatad cynllunio i adeiladu penthouses yn Cei Fictoria (sydd yn gwerthu am £750,000) ond ddim mor barod i rhoi caniatad cynllunio i deuluoedd ifanc lleol ym Mhen Llyn i adeiladu tai ar dir o gwmpas y pentrefi lle cafwynt ei magu?
Fuaswn wrth fy modd wedi clywed barn rhai o gefnogwyr Plaid yn y gynulleidfa am hyn, yn arbennig y rhai oedd yn digon barod i farnu'r Ceidwadwyr!
Tipyn o frec o wleidyddiaeth y pnawn yma - dwi'n gorfod ysgrifennu erthygl i Microsoft ar gyfer llyfr y maent yn ei gyhoeddi ar ddyfodol economi'r byd. Mae gen i 'writers block' ar y funud felly off i gael paned o de a gobeithio fydd yna ddigon o ysbrydoiaeth gan PG Tips imi cael ei orffen cyn 6 heno!
Mae yna lot o waith yr wythnos yma wrth gwrs, ac ar ben y canfasio i gyd, y mae un o 'top stars' y Ceidwadwyr wedi penderfynu dod draw yn ganol yr wythnos i drafod polisiau gyda pobol busnes yr ardal.
Mae hyn i gyd yn 'top secret' ar y funud - dwi ddim yn gwybod pa bryd ac ym mhle tan yfory - ond mi fydd yn gyfle i cael trafodaeth diddorol am ei weledigaeth i'r wlad ar ol yr etholaeth gyffredinol nesaf.
Mi roedd eistedd o flaen gynulleidfa Pawb a'i Farn nos Iau am y tro cyntaf braidd yn scary, ond roedd Dewi Llwyd yn ffantastic gyda pawb. Dwi wedi gweld yr usual 'hate mail' gan rhai o bloggers Plaid am fy mherfformiad. So what, mae pobol Pwllheli wedi bod yn llongyfarch mam ar y stryd fawr ac os ydi hi yn hapus, pwy sydd yn poeni!?!
Wrth gwrs, roedd Wigley wedi arfer hefo'r fformat, ond mi gefais sioc ar be ddywedodd Jonathan Austin am y Blaid Lafur i.e. wedi gwneud penderfyniad i beidio mynd i glymblaid hefo unrhyw Blaid. Mae'n siwr roedd Rhodri Morgan (a Mike German) wedi cael cathod am hyn. Wyrach mai 'nerves' oedd wedi hitio Jonathan ar y noson oherwydd y bore wedyn, mi roedd y blaid Lafur yn gorfod rhoi neges allan fod camgymeriad oedd hyn i gyd!
Mae'n rhaid fod yn ofalus iawn ar rhaglen wleidydddol fyw!
Y piti mwyaf oedd peidio cael y cyfle i siarad am ddyfodol yr Iaith Gymraeg, yn arbennig pwysigrwydd tai fforddiadwy mewn ardaloedd gwledig. Yn anffodus, dewiswyd cwestiwn am y maes awyr yn Sir Fon gan y gynulleidfa yn lle un ar yr iaith.
Fuase hyn wedi bod yn gyfle gwych i son am bolisiau Cyngor Gwynedd. Pwy fuasa wedi credu fuasa cynghorwyr Plaid Cymru yn hollol barod i rhoi caniatad cynllunio i adeiladu penthouses yn Cei Fictoria (sydd yn gwerthu am £750,000) ond ddim mor barod i rhoi caniatad cynllunio i deuluoedd ifanc lleol ym Mhen Llyn i adeiladu tai ar dir o gwmpas y pentrefi lle cafwynt ei magu?
Fuaswn wrth fy modd wedi clywed barn rhai o gefnogwyr Plaid yn y gynulleidfa am hyn, yn arbennig y rhai oedd yn digon barod i farnu'r Ceidwadwyr!
Tipyn o frec o wleidyddiaeth y pnawn yma - dwi'n gorfod ysgrifennu erthygl i Microsoft ar gyfer llyfr y maent yn ei gyhoeddi ar ddyfodol economi'r byd. Mae gen i 'writers block' ar y funud felly off i gael paned o de a gobeithio fydd yna ddigon o ysbrydoiaeth gan PG Tips imi cael ei orffen cyn 6 heno!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
People power
Attended the Hospital Action Group rally at Llandudno yesterday.Plaid Cymru tried their best to hijack the event again but a number commented to me afterwards that nearly all of their 'supporters' on the day were from outside the constituency.
It is also noticable how many people have just about had enough of their shenanigans over this non-political community campaign where they have been quick to claim credit for anything involved in it, forgetting the hard work put in by ordinary members of the public who started this camapign.
Anyway, here is an abridged version of speech I gave, which shows my position on the subject
The campaign against hospital cuts at Llandudno Hospital isn’t about politics - it is about common sense, it is about community and it is about doing the right thing.
Spending £83 million per year on non-medical staff isn’t common sense when accident and emergency services are cut at our local hospital; spending an extra £24 million on employing managers and administrators isn’t common sense when they are looking to close the coronary care unit at our local hospital; and having one penpusher for every three doctors and nurses isn’t common sense when many remember how one matron used to be able to run a hospital without all the red-tape we see today.
Politicians are quick to claim credit for anything, but the success of this campaign has been down to the people of Llandudno who got together to sign the petitions, walk on the marches and to form the Hospital Action Group, which has done an excellent job to date.
However, let us not forget one very special person. Dorothy Smith had been treated for breast cancer at Llandudno and when she heard about the threat to her local hospital, she decided to get out and do something about it. In just one month, and before any politicians got involved, Dot collected over 17,000 signatures to launch this campaign and to let the Assembly in Cardiff know that the people of Llandudno would not accept the cuts to services at their hospital without a fight and everyone should acknowledge her fantastic efforts.
Finally, I also want you to think about what Llandudno what would be like without a fully functioning general hospital and what you or your family would have done without having this vital service here on your doorstep and not thirty miles away in St Asaph or Bangor.
Enough is enough and I make this promise to use all my energy, enthusiasm and stamina to ensure that the Welsh Assembly will listen to our concerns, that we cut the bureaucracy that could be spent on keeping vital services here in Llandudno and that all of us get the fully functioning general hospital which this area deserves.
Labour mauled on health policies
Back to the World Socialist website, which has decided to maul the Labour Party in Wales over their NHS policies.
"Hospitals face closures, debts mount, waiting lists have grown, jobs are cut and skilled health professionals cannot find posts. It is small consolation to have a free prescription when the local hospital has closed or you have to wait for months for a routine operation".
Jonathan Morgan couldn't have said it better in the Welsh Conservative manifesto!
One point of interest in the article is the extra money that was to be made available to general practitioners (GPs) to increase their responsibilities and take on services transferred to them from the hospitals as part of a programme of community-based care.
It is particularly disturbing that the Assembly allegedly tried to blackmail doctors in cutting their services and I am surprised that the media has not picked up on this scandal
With comrades like these, who needs enemies....
"Hospitals face closures, debts mount, waiting lists have grown, jobs are cut and skilled health professionals cannot find posts. It is small consolation to have a free prescription when the local hospital has closed or you have to wait for months for a routine operation".
Jonathan Morgan couldn't have said it better in the Welsh Conservative manifesto!
One point of interest in the article is the extra money that was to be made available to general practitioners (GPs) to increase their responsibilities and take on services transferred to them from the hospitals as part of a programme of community-based care.
It is particularly disturbing that the Assembly allegedly tried to blackmail doctors in cutting their services and I am surprised that the media has not picked up on this scandal
With comrades like these, who needs enemies....
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
On the hustings with business
Attended the FSB hustings in Llandudno yesterday - it was an interesting experience but a real shame that Labour didn't send one of their other leading candidates and let Donna Hutton - who admitted to knowing very little about the economy - be their panelist.
Yet again, I had Dafydd Wigley next to me at the event. Having already been with him on Radio Cymru, we are speaking together this morning on Radio Wales, on Pawb a'i Farn tonight, and at both the CBI and ACCA hustings next week.
I will know the Plaid Cymru policy better than ours by the end of the campaign I'm sure!
However, it is interesting that whilst their economic policy is very business friendly, it must sit very uncomfortably with the Valleys socialists who currently dominate the party.
Giving more power to the private sector - that sounds almost Tory in its enlightenment!
Yet again, I had Dafydd Wigley next to me at the event. Having already been with him on Radio Cymru, we are speaking together this morning on Radio Wales, on Pawb a'i Farn tonight, and at both the CBI and ACCA hustings next week.
I will know the Plaid Cymru policy better than ours by the end of the campaign I'm sure!
However, it is interesting that whilst their economic policy is very business friendly, it must sit very uncomfortably with the Valleys socialists who currently dominate the party.
Giving more power to the private sector - that sounds almost Tory in its enlightenment!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Strange bedfellows
It's not often you find William Rees Mogg and Cymuned on the same side but the article from this morning's Times suggest that clearly affordable housing has become an issue across the political spectrum.
The following comments from Rees Mogg will strike a chord with many young hard working professionals in Wales
"It is the “20-20s” that are ruled out; they are the graduates in their twenties who are earning something over £20,000 a year. The average pay of a teacher is, apparently, £26,400 a year. Many graduates, even in better paid professions, will earn less than that in their early jobs. A suburban semidetached house in Gerrards Cross, which may have cost about £1,250 when it was first sold in the 1930s, would now cost between £500,000 and £1 million".
And this doesn't include the thousands of young people who didn't go to college and stayed behind in their local areas only to find that they cannot afford to buy a home in the area in which they work and want to raise a family.
I responded to this issue on Glyn Davies' blog yesterday and it was interesting to see the comment from Sanddef where Cymuned had apparently praised the Conservative leadership in Wales for their stance on this issue.
After eight years of playing with this issue, it is time the Assembly got its act together to respond to what will be one of the major social and economic challenges in Wales over the next four years especially if, as the FT notes, house price inflation is still running at around 8 per cent annually.
The following comments from Rees Mogg will strike a chord with many young hard working professionals in Wales
"It is the “20-20s” that are ruled out; they are the graduates in their twenties who are earning something over £20,000 a year. The average pay of a teacher is, apparently, £26,400 a year. Many graduates, even in better paid professions, will earn less than that in their early jobs. A suburban semidetached house in Gerrards Cross, which may have cost about £1,250 when it was first sold in the 1930s, would now cost between £500,000 and £1 million".
And this doesn't include the thousands of young people who didn't go to college and stayed behind in their local areas only to find that they cannot afford to buy a home in the area in which they work and want to raise a family.
I responded to this issue on Glyn Davies' blog yesterday and it was interesting to see the comment from Sanddef where Cymuned had apparently praised the Conservative leadership in Wales for their stance on this issue.
After eight years of playing with this issue, it is time the Assembly got its act together to respond to what will be one of the major social and economic challenges in Wales over the next four years especially if, as the FT notes, house price inflation is still running at around 8 per cent annually.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Small is Beautiful
Excellent article by Simon Jenkins in today's Sunday Times.
If there was ever an argument for keeping hospitals local and small, this is it.
He also quotes liberally from E.F. Schumacher's "Small is Beautiful" (or economics as if people mattered), one of the books that made me go into entrepreneurship research.
If I am elected, I shall try and make this de rigeur reading for all civil servants within the Assembly.
If there was ever an argument for keeping hospitals local and small, this is it.
He also quotes liberally from E.F. Schumacher's "Small is Beautiful" (or economics as if people mattered), one of the books that made me go into entrepreneurship research.
If I am elected, I shall try and make this de rigeur reading for all civil servants within the Assembly.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Ensuring the future of Llandudno Hospital
Took a break yesterday from canvassing to launched our North Wales election health campaign to save the NHS from Labour's health cuts.We have made the National Health Service their top priority in the Assembly election campaign and I am personally committed not only to stopping Labour's plans for the downgrading of Llandudno Hospital but to examine how more services can be attracted to the region.
During the last few weeks, I have had the privilege of talking to many people on the doorsteps of Aberconwy and it is clear that they remain concerned over the future of Llandudno Hospital. Like me, they want to see a hospital that serves the needs of local residents and not the whims of politicians and civil servants”
The Hospital Action Group has done a wonderful job to date but I believe that after the election, it is time for them to move away from merely defending current hospital services and to develop an action plan that will call for more services to be based at Llandudno Hospital. Certainly, if the local NHS Trust is happy to increase its non-medical wage bill by over £7 million in three years, then it should certainly examine how some of this money that is currently wasted on bureaucracy could be channelled into attracting new world class services at Llandudno.”
I believe now is the time for putting the case forward to ensuring that Llandudno has a fully functioning local hospital with services available that reflect the needs of local people. Too often, we have had managers making decisions to please their masters in Cardiff Bay rather than the needs of local people. It is scandalous that the coronary care unit is currently down to three beds despite indications that there will be an increase for its use during the next few years. Similarly, how can a major resort like Llandudno – which has 12 per cent of all the holiday accommodation in Wales – not have hospital facilities such as accident and emergency services?
Conwy, with the highest proportion of people over 75 in Wales, also needs to have an upgrading of its geriatrics unit. We also need to ensure that we create a centre of excellence for breast care which amalgamates Breast test Wales and the Breast Surgical Unit to form a nucleus of expertise at Llandudno Hospital.
It is clear that what we need to put together a detailed and fully costed plan for a hospital fit for the 21st century needs of the people of Aberconwy. I hope that the Hospital Action group, along with other bodies such as the League of Friends and the Conwy CHC, will join the Conservatives in ensuring a proper dialogue with local people and clinicians about the future of local NHS services and ensure that Llandudno Hospital continues to be a beacon of hope for people across the area.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Youth Vote
Accepted an invitation, with some trepidation, to appear on the S4C youth programme Hacio, which was recorded last night at Tafarn y Rhos. All four parties sent representatives and I was very glad that Suzy Davies came up all the way from Brecon to support me - that's devotion to the political cause for you.Not surprisingly, I was called a "middle aged man in a suit" by one of my younger opponents but I have heard worse during the last few weeks, I can assure you!
I am sure one of the other panellists -Martin Eaglestone - will blog on this too!
The programme consisted of a series of questions from a panel of four young people on issues such as education, agriculture, health and wellbeing and transport.
It was a very lively affair and one of the members of Ffermwyr Ifanc on the panel was outstanding - she should seriously consider a career in politics!
She clearly demonstrated the importance of this excellent organisation to developing young people in rural Wales.
I won't tell you the result but the on heartening thing is that one of the four panellists came up to me afterwards and said that s/he would vote Conservative.
So, we now have 25% of the youth vote!
After this TV moment, back to the hard work of canvassing today!
Monday, April 09, 2007
Wake up and smell the coffee
Yet again, the First Minister rubbishes the possibility of any coalition after the election and says that Labour's manifesto is the only one that can be implemented.
Ah yes, promising NHS waiting times to come down, we have heard that one before.
Bleak times under the tories...very original...ask the pensioners I have been talking to about bleak times thanks to Gordon Brown's pensions scandal.
Rhodri just doesn't get it - nor do any of his advisors.
The majority of the people of Wales don't want Labour and would be more than happy to have a non-Labour alternative on May 4th. The question is whether the parties can agree on a coalition deal after then and there is no reason why this cannot be the case if some of the politicians against this actually woke up and smelt the coffee.
Perhaps Rhodri, before slagging off coalitions, should look over the Irish Sea to his favourite economy.
Ireland has developed and matured politically and economically through a series of coalition governments over the last two decades. It is about time Wales grew up too and looked to a non-Labour future where a four year policy programme agreed by coalition partners could make a real difference to this nation.
Ah yes, promising NHS waiting times to come down, we have heard that one before.
Bleak times under the tories...very original...ask the pensioners I have been talking to about bleak times thanks to Gordon Brown's pensions scandal.
Rhodri just doesn't get it - nor do any of his advisors.
The majority of the people of Wales don't want Labour and would be more than happy to have a non-Labour alternative on May 4th. The question is whether the parties can agree on a coalition deal after then and there is no reason why this cannot be the case if some of the politicians against this actually woke up and smelt the coffee.
Perhaps Rhodri, before slagging off coalitions, should look over the Irish Sea to his favourite economy.
Ireland has developed and matured politically and economically through a series of coalition governments over the last two decades. It is about time Wales grew up too and looked to a non-Labour future where a four year policy programme agreed by coalition partners could make a real difference to this nation.
Socialists lambast the First Minister
Fascinating article from the World Socialist Website - not usual reading in the Jones-Evans household - which looks at labour;s record on Iraq and job creation.
Two memorable quotes from the article.
One from Rhodri who states that "those concerned about the war in Iraq, he continued, were “probably Guardian-reading, chattering-class Labour supporters” whose impact would only be “slight.” The response from the site is that "these ignorant and self-contradictory comments are yet another indication of the gulf that separates masses of ordinary people from the Blair Labour government and its counterpart in Welsh Assembly".
The second is regarding job creation claims by Rhodri and his team, to which the surevy responds "The jobs Labour claims to have created are predominantly low-paid, part-time or casual work that cannot provide a decent living standard or any real future for young workers and families".
More in line with Alun Cairns than Leon Trotsky!
Two memorable quotes from the article.
One from Rhodri who states that "those concerned about the war in Iraq, he continued, were “probably Guardian-reading, chattering-class Labour supporters” whose impact would only be “slight.” The response from the site is that "these ignorant and self-contradictory comments are yet another indication of the gulf that separates masses of ordinary people from the Blair Labour government and its counterpart in Welsh Assembly".
The second is regarding job creation claims by Rhodri and his team, to which the surevy responds "The jobs Labour claims to have created are predominantly low-paid, part-time or casual work that cannot provide a decent living standard or any real future for young workers and families".
More in line with Alun Cairns than Leon Trotsky!
A small break from the campaign
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Having hardly seen the kids and my better half for the last two weeks (and with little chance of seeing them until May 3rd apart from a snatched breakfast together), it was great to spend some time with them yesterday with some friends down in Porthdinllaen.The weather was gorgeous, the Magners was cold, and the company was brilliant!
Who needs to go abroad when Wales is on top form like this.
The facts about Aberconwy
The Assembly Members' Research Service has just published a series of fact sheets on all the constituencies being fought after boundary changes on May 3rd.
In Aberconwy, the main findings are:
- there are around 44,100 electors registered to vote in an Assembly election.
- a higher share of the population is of retirement age than for the Welsh average
- 34.1% of people can speak Welsh, compared to 20.5% across Wales
- a higher proportion of working age people in Aberconwy are in employment
- there is a higher proportion of owner occupied households than across Wales
In Aberconwy, the main findings are:
- there are around 44,100 electors registered to vote in an Assembly election.
- a higher share of the population is of retirement age than for the Welsh average
- 34.1% of people can speak Welsh, compared to 20.5% across Wales
- a higher proportion of working age people in Aberconwy are in employment
- there is a higher proportion of owner occupied households than across Wales
Find out more about Aberconwy by clicking here.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Poll results
Apologies for not blogging for while - I have a campaign to run!
We have a great team here in Aberconwy and if we don't win on May 3rd, it won't be through lack of professionalism and effort.
However, the biggest issue in Wales this week was the ITV poll.
This seems to have shocked a number of people, especially Plaid Cymru, over the growing vote for the Welsh Conservatives.
It does tend to reflect the doorstep conversations we have been having but there is still a lot of work to do between now and May 3rd, I can assure you.
Also, the Sunday Times NOP Poll shows that, for the first time in many years, the Welsh electorate is reflecting national trends when it comes to a general election (albeit with a very small sample for Wales).
Still the trend is in the right direction....
The morning of May 4th is going to be very interesting indeed!
We have a great team here in Aberconwy and if we don't win on May 3rd, it won't be through lack of professionalism and effort.
However, the biggest issue in Wales this week was the ITV poll.
This seems to have shocked a number of people, especially Plaid Cymru, over the growing vote for the Welsh Conservatives.
It does tend to reflect the doorstep conversations we have been having but there is still a lot of work to do between now and May 3rd, I can assure you.
Also, the Sunday Times NOP Poll shows that, for the first time in many years, the Welsh electorate is reflecting national trends when it comes to a general election (albeit with a very small sample for Wales).
Still the trend is in the right direction....
The morning of May 4th is going to be very interesting indeed!
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